Invalid lifting apparatus



Feb. 28, 1950 v. c. HASSOLD ETAL INVALID LIFTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1947 VICTOR .c.

HTTOR/VE Y Feb. 28. 1950 v. c. HASSOLD arm, 2,493,853

INVALID LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 2 Sheets-rSheet 2 INVENTOR.

H Hssow EPHUS T'ULLOM A T TORNE Y bers I5='-I5 the upper ends of which are suitably secured together by braces 2I2I, while their lower ends are secured together by gusset plates 2222 which additionally serve to secure the post member I5 to the horizontal rails in fixed vertical relation thereto. The rails I3 and I4 of each support are themselves secured together against relative angular displacement by a horizontal gusset plate 23, from whence it will appear that each supporting unit is in the form of a rigid, self-sustaining structure providing adequate support for its vertical extending post member I5.

The two supporting units l and I I are adapted to be assembled, as shown most clearly in Figure 1, with their rails I3I3 in longitudinal alinement, while their rails I4I4 extend in spaced parallel relation to one side of the alined rails. When so assembled, the post members Hi -I5 of the supporting units are disposed in laterally spaced vertically extending parallel relation. To facilitate longitudinal alinement of the rails I3I 3, their proximate ends are respectively provided with a longitudinally slidable bar 24 and a key-way 25 which when interengaged, as shown in Figure 1, prevent lateral displacement of the rails I3-I3 relatively to their common longitudinal axis while permitting their free relative movement along said axis.

Slidably disposed within each post member I5 is a vertically extending toothed rack 26 the upper end of which is provided with athickened body portion 2'! having a pair of grooves 2828 respectively formed along its opposite edges. These grooves 23-48 respectively accommodate therein the proximate vertical edges of the inner side walls 2929 of the channel members lir 45, thereby providing for free rectilinear movement of the toothed rack 26 vertically within the post member I 5 while preventing lateral displacement of the rack relatively to its guided path of travel.

In order to effect vertical movement of the rack 26 within its guide post I5, the latter is fitted at a suitable point intermediate its length with a rotatable worm 30 in mesh with a worm wheel 3I suitably keyed to a shaft 32 journalled between the opposite base walls of the post channel members I5*-I5*-. The meshed worm 30 and worm wheel 3I are disposed externally of the post mem ber I 5, the shaft of the worm being suitably provided with an extension for receiving a detachable operating handle 33 for rotating the worm and the worm wheel 3| in mesh therewith.

Keyed to the worm wheel shaft 32 within the post member I5 is a pinion gear 34, this latter gear being in such constant entrainment with the toothed rack 26 that rotation of the worm 30, by

means of the handle 33, in one direction or the other raises or lowers the rack vertically within the post. The gear train is such that the rack remains stationary in any vertically adjusted position thereof, although any suitable additional means (not shown), such as a spring-pressed detent operative upon thegear 32 or upon a ratchet wheel fixed thereto, may be employed for locking the rack in its vertically adjusted position. I

Secured to the upper grooved portion 21 of the rack 26, as by the bolts or studs 35, is a transversely extending horizontally disposed rod 36 of a length approximately equal to that of the base rail I4. The rod 36 of each supporting unit is disposed in the vertical plane of the base rail I4 and'is adapted for vertical movement in said plane as the rack 26 is raised or lowered by the operating handle. It will be apparent, of course,

4 that the rods 36-36 of the supporting units It and II assembled as shown in Figure l are at all times maintained in parallel relation and that by proper manipulation-of the racks 2626 respectively associated with the assembled supporting units they may be positionally adjusted to lie in a common horizontal plane or in a plane inclined somewhat with respect to the horizontal.

The rods 36-36 are designed to support a flexible stretcher sheet 3'! suitably stretched over a supporting frame composed essentially of a plurality of interconnected frame elements presently to be described. The stretcher sheet 31 itself is formed of any suitable sheet material of requisite strength, such as canvas, its marginal edges being inturned and sewed along the lines 38 to provide hems 39 for respective reception of the elements constituting the supporting frame for the stretcher sheet. In order to facilitate insertion of these frame elements, the corners of the stretcher sheet are cut away, as at 46.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 7 and 8, it will be noted that the supporting frame for the stretcher sheet 31 comprises a pair of longitudinaltub'ular rods 4 I4I and a pair of transverse tubular rods 42--42. Each of the longitudinal tubular rods 4I4I is provided, at least in one end thereof, with an adapter element 43 having an interiorly threaded body portion 44 adapted to snugly fit internally of the tubular rod and an enlargedhead 45 adapted to bear against the end of the rod. Adapted for threaded insertion into the adapter element 43 is a screw member 46 the outer end of which is provided with an integral or otherwise firmly secured collar 41 the internal bore of which is of a diameter to snugly receive the vertically adjustable supporting rod 36 of the main supporting unit. The transverse tubular rods 42-42 are each of the same internal diameter as that of the collars 41-41, in consequence of which each rod 36 is adapted to project through the axially alined internal bores of each transverse rod 42 and the collars 4'I4I disposed at opposite ends thereof (see Figure '7), the collars 41-41 being, of course, each threadedly connected to an adapter 43 fitted in the end of the longitudinally extending rod M.

The transverse tubular rods 42-42 serve as spacers between each pair of collars 47-4I associated with each such rod and so maintain each pair of collars in such spaced relation lengthwise of their supporting rod 36 as to prevent transverse collapse of the flexible stretcher sheet 3! when the longitudinal edges thereof are engaged by the longitudinal rods 4I4I respectively supported between the collars 4'I4I and their adapter elements 43-43. The spacing between the vertically adjustable supporting rods 3636, when the main supporting units It and II are properly assembled as shown in Figure 1,

determines the longitudinal tautness of the stretcher sheet 3'5, such spacing between the rods 36--36 being adjustable within limits by means of the adapter elements 43. In this latter connection it will be apparent that having engaged the sheet 31 with its several frame elements 4I4I and 42-42 to provide a more or less rigid rectangular supporting frame for the sheet, and having projected the supporting rods 3B-36 respectively through the transverse tubular rods 4242 and their associated collars 41-41 carriedvby the longitudinal tubular rods 4I-4I, upon rotating an adapter element 43 relatively to the rod 4| in which it is fitted, the collar member 41 threadedly connected to said adapter element will be shifted outwardly of the latter to increase the effective length of the longitudinal rod of the stretcher frame and so stretch the sheet 31 to its desired degree of tautness. Of course, all of the collar members 41 should be correspondingly adjusted to insure uniform stretch of the sheet 31 along both of its longitudinal edges and to insure that the corresponding pairs of the frame elements are disposed in substantial parallelism.

In operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the flexible stretcher sheet 31 is first placed on the bed (shown dotted in Figure 9) beneath the invalid to be lifted from the bed. The longitudinal rods 4l-4i and the transverse rods 42-42 of the stretcher frame are then inserted into the hemmed edges of the stretcher sheet. Thereupon, the adapter elements 43 fitted with their axially adjustable collars 41 are inserted into the ends of the longitudinal rods 4I--4l of the stretcher frame, following which the support consisting of the assembled units In and II is wheeled from its full line position shown in Figure 9 into its dotted line position as shown therein, the racks 26--26 having first been lowered by suitable manipulation of the handle 33 (the same handle may be employed for alternate operation of both racks or two handles may be employed for simultaneous operation thereof) to present the rods 36-36 into position for insertion through the bores of the transverse rods 42-42 and the tensioning collars 4'! of the stretcher frame. Upon suitable adjustment of the adapter elements 43, the stretcher sheet 31 is tensioned upon the frame, following which the stretcher with the invalid recumbent thereon may be lifted verticall above the bed and so transported, if desired, away from the bed. To replace the invalid upon the bed, the operation above described is reversed, the stretcher being wheeled into position above the bed and then lowered, following which the collars 41 are adjusted to release the stretcher sheet 41 of its tension and permit withdrawal of the wheeled support from the bed and removal. of the frame elements from. the stretcher sheet 31. The latter may then be removed from beneath the invalid, if so desired.

By virtue of the collapsible character of the apparatus of the present invention, the several elements thereof may be assembled in compact form for storage in limited space. It will be noted that the apparatus may be assembled and disassembled without the necessity of employing any tools, all of the relatively adjustable parts thereof being designed for hand manipulation.

It will be understood that the apparatus is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the present invention, and it is intended accordingly to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In an invalid lifting device of the character described, a portable structure including a pair of freely projecting support rods arranged in parallel relation and adapted for disposition transversely across the top of a bed and means for positionally adjusting said rods in spaced relation above said bed, a flexible stretcher mem- 6 ber adapted for disposition beneath the body of an invalid recumbent on the bed, and a separable frame for said stretcher member adapted to support the latter in taut condition from said rods, said frame including a pair of tubular rods respectively disposed at opposite extremities of said stretcher member and respectively adapted to be fitted over said rods so as to be supported thereby.

2. In an invalid lifting device of the character aforesaid, a flexible stretcher sheet adapted for disposition beneath the body of an invalid recumbent on a bed, a separable frame for said stretcher sheet comprising one pair of tubular members extending widthwise of the sheet and a second pair of members extending lengthwise thereof, the members of said second pair being provided at each end thereof with a coupling element terminating in a collar adapted for axial registry with a tubular member aforesaid, and a pair of vertically adjustable supporting rods projectable through each of said tubular members and the collars axially in registry therewith to support said stretcher sheet extended between said frame members.

3. In an invalid lifting device of the character described, a flexible stretcher sheet adapted for disposition beneath the body of an invalid recumbent on a bed, a separable frame for said stretcher sheet comprising one pair of transversely extending tubular members adapted for respective securement to one pair of parallel edges of said sheet and a second pair of longitudinally extending members adapted for respective securement to another pair of parallel edges of said sheet, coupling elements associated with said longitudinally extending members for increasing the effective lengths thereof, each of said coupling elements including an annular extremity having a bore adapted for registry with the bore of an adjoining transversely extending member, and means operative commonly to interconnect said frame members at each corner of the stretcher sheet and to support the latter in stretched condition upon said frame.

4. In an invalid lifting device as defined in claim 3 wherein said interconnecting means for the frame members is in the form of a pair of rods respectively insertable into the bores of said transversely extending members and the axially registered openings in said coupling elements.

5. In an invalid lifting device of the character defined in claim 1 wherein the means for positionally adjusting said support rods comprises pinion-actuated racks rectilinearly movable in vertically extending standards forming parts of said portable structure.

' VICTOR C. HASSOLD.

JOSEPHUS T. ULLOM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

